By Colin Wright - Uspire Chair
A passionate coach and mentor, Colin has a belief that knowledge and experience should be shared to enhance the lives and success of others.
Colin is a former Managing Director of Vodafone, Caudwell Group, Greencore and Hazelwood Foods.
“The biggest problems we face, climate change, terrorism, education, are not susceptible to quick fixes. AI is a tool to accelerate change, but it requires human values and judgment to guide it.”
Barack Obama (former US President)
Our Network members recently enjoyed a fascinating keynote discussion with Jamie Claret about AI and its impact on leadership. As such, it seemed appropriate to ask AI to redraft a blog I wrote on the topic 12 months ago. Now I have often used AI writing tools to tidy up my ramblings into a more coherent piece of writing. Or simply used it to check some background facts and figures but this is the first time I have asked it to completely rewrite something.
So here goes………
Imagine this, machines not only helping us write reports, but also deciding what we should write about. Algorithms not just storing data, but interpreting it, refining it, and, in some cases, seemingly understanding it. Welcome to the world of artificial intelligence, where fact and fiction now sit in the same Zoom room.
Here at Uspire, ahead of a recent network event looking at leading AI, we wanted to unravel the mystery, drama, and genuine disruption that AI brings to the modern workplace. We’ve leaned into inspiration from chess grandmasters and computer scientists, thought leaders and data pioneers, to help you, our business leaders, entrepreneurs, and team builders, separate the useful from the hyped, the real from the robotic fantasy.
It’s time to get comfortable being a little uncomfortable. Because whether you’re excited, sceptical, or downright confused, one thing is certain, AI is not waiting for your permission to change the world.
How Chess, Checkmates and Code Laid the Foundation
Not so Artificial Anymore, Machine Minds, Human Headlines
We start, not in a lab, but on a chessboard.
In his book Deep Thinking, chess champion Garry Kasparov recalls the sting of losing to IBM’s Deep Blue. But he also offers a valuable perspective, winning or losing to a machine isn’t really the point. Machines don’t get tired. They don’t bluff. They don’t worry. They calculate.
Chess is often thought of as the ultimate thinking game. But even in chess, emotions matter. Kasparov talks about the psychological warfare between players. Humans make mistakes under pressure. They fear, they hesitate, they react. Machines, on the other hand, don’t.
And therein lies the great distinction that still holds true today artificial intelligence can do the work, but it doesn’t feel the weight of the work. Which leads us to a question every business leader must ask, in your organisation, which tasks require feeling and which just require computing?
From Tic-Tac-Toe to Google Translate - The Roots of AI
British scientist Donald Michie, one of the early pioneers of AI, experimented with machine learning as early as 1960. His test case? Tic-tac-toe. Instead of giving the computer hard rules, he fed it examples. It learned patterns. It made choices. Sound familiar?
This is the same principle behind Google Translate today. These systems aren’t born fluent in language. They’ve just seen millions of translations and learned how to mimic them. Sometimes brilliantly. Sometimes bizarrely.
That’s the catch. Machines “learn” from data. If the data is messy, misleading, or mislabelled, the machine reflects that. Feed it enough grandmaster chess moves, and it might start sacrificing queens for no good reason, because sometimes that’s how legends win. But the machine doesn’t understand the “why.” It just follows the pattern.
As leaders, the lesson is this, AI is powerful, but it mirrors the information we give it. Garbage in, garbage out still applies, even at 10 billion computations per second.
So… What Exactly Is Artificial Intelligence?
Let’s simplify. AI is not a robot overlord. It’s not consciousness. It’s not some self-aware being waiting to take your job (or your seat at the boardroom table). AI is algorithms, sets of instructions, doing what humans taught them to do, only faster and at scale.
Think of an algorithm like a recipe. You give the AI the ingredients (data), and it follows the method to bake the cake (output). Sometimes it improvises with fancy icing. Sometimes it burns the base.
In practical terms, AI helps us navigate the world more efficiently. From voice assistants on your phone to GPS giving you directions to our next Uspire event, AI is everywhere. And while it’s not “thinking,” it’s helping you think faster. The future, it turns out, is made of logic… and a lot of clever shortcuts.
Are Machines Actually Intelligent?
Short answer, not in the way humans are.
We often confuse speed and memory with intelligence. A calculator can multiply faster than you, but it doesn’t know it’s doing maths. Wikipedia can tell you when Istanbul was founded, but it can’t tell you why that matters to your holiday plans.
Real intelligence includes creativity, emotions, judgment, morality, and intuition. It’s messy, nuanced, unpredictable and wonderfully human. Machines can replicate a narrow slice of that intelligence. But context, empathy, improvisation? That’s our domain.
Even Alan Turing’s famous test, where a computer tries to “pass” as human in conversation, reveals more about the limitations of AI than its promise. Chatbots are improving, but they still stumble in philosophical debates, jokes with cultural nuance, or, ironically, genuine creativity.
Let’s be clear, we’re not building artificial humans. We’re building specialised tools. As computer scientist Edsger Dijkstra put it, “The question of whether machines can think is about as relevant as the question of whether submarines can swim.”
How Heuristics, Not Perfection, Power Modern AI
Ever notice that the fastest route on your GPS isn’t always the best? That’s not a bug, it’s a heuristic.
AI, like your navigation system, often uses “good enough” logic to solve complex problems quickly. When the perfect answer would take hours, AI gives you a pretty good one in seconds. This works for most real-world tasks, where speed and direction matter more than perfection.
In the business world, we see this in demand forecasting, recruitment filtering, customer segmentation, and pricing. You don’t need a perfect answer, you need a helpful one and fast.
The opportunity for leaders is to decide when “pretty good” is good enough. When does speed outweigh precision? When should AI handle it, and when do we still need the human touch?
A New Industrial Revolution? You Bet.
“AI is one of the most profound things we’re working on as humanity. It’s more profound than fire or electricity.”
Sundar Pichai (CEO of Alphabet & Google)
Economist Roger Bootle and Uspire agrees, makes a compelling case that we’re entering the fourth industrial revolution, not just because of robots, but because of what they enable, productivity, scale, and economic transformation.
The first industrial revolution gave us steam. The second, electricity. The third, computing. Now, the fourth, machines that learn, adapt, and recommend.
Industrial Revolutions
But let’s not get carried away. AI is extraordinary, yes, but it also has limits. Google’s DeepMind may have beaten the world’s best Go player, but it still takes thousands of computers to reliably recognise a cat in a YouTube video. That’s progress, but it’s far from omnipotence.
The true impact of AI may not come from replacing us, but from freeing us up. Making room for more creativity, more leadership, more purpose-led work. That’s not just good for productivity. That’s good for people.
Education and Skills - The New Frontier
If AI is going to be a central part of our economy, then our education system can’t stay in the 20th century.
We often hear that we need more STEM education, science, tech, engineering, maths. And yes, those are vital. But here’s the twist as AI gets better at the technical stuff, it’s the human skills, creativity, empathy, collaboration, that become more valuable.
We need to teach students (and employees) how to work with AI, not against it. That includes critical thinking, ethics, communication, and digital literacy. Imagine AI as a powerful teammate. The job is not to compete, but to lead it.
We also need lifelong learning. Online courses, self-paced modules, and tailored development plans that evolve with your people. In the AI age, learning doesn’t stop at 21, or even 61.
Business Transformation - Not If, But When
So, how do you prepare your organisation?
Let’s take a page from Bain & Company’s playbook. Their research shows that AI is reshaping sectors at different speeds, but all are moving.
In some sectors like life sciences, AI is reimagining entire business models. In others, like hospitality, it’s just beginning to observe and experiment. But the endgame is the same, transformation.
Intelligent agents can already handle search, summarise documents, automate tasks, and assist customers. Imagine travel companies without reps, but with AI concierges. Legal firms using AI for document review. Marketers with generative tools that test headlines and visuals before lunch.
These aren’t far-fetched, they’re happening now.
Optimism Beats Panic (Most of the Time)
There’s a lot of doom in the AI conversation, job losses, inequality, surveillance. And those are valid concerns. But there’s also optimism.
AI could raise global GDP by 150% in the next 30 years. It could free up more time, allowing us to shorten the work week and improve quality of life. It could shift investment into health, leisure, education, and human development.
With smart leadership, ethical oversight, and strong public policy, this could be a rising tide that lifts all boats.
A Final Reflection, What AI Isn’t
AI is fast, consistent, and relentless. But it isn’t you.
It can’t lead a team through a tough week. It can’t feel empathy. It doesn’t understand beauty, joy, or heartbreak. It doesn’t reflect on its life choices while staring at the sea.
That was interesting but enough of that………time for some further human intervention!
Artificial Intelligence is transforming how businesses manage routine and repetitive tasks, significantly reducing the time spent on them while improving accuracy. By automating these activities, organisations can free up human talent to focus on higher-value work such as strategy, creativity, and customer relationships.
One of the most powerful ways AI helps is through data processing and entry. Tasks that once took hours, such as reconciling invoices, inputting customer data, or sorting documents, can now be completed in minutes with AI-powered software. For instance, AI-based OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tools can scan, extract, and categorise information from physical or digital documents with near-perfect accuracy. A finance department using an AI invoice reader like Xtracta or Rossum can cut manual processing time by up to 70% and reduce human error caused by fatigue or distraction.
Another example is email triage and scheduling. Virtual assistants like Microsoft Copilot or Google’s AI tools can read, prioritise, and even draft responses to common messages. They can also automatically find meeting slots that suit all attendees, something that often wastes hours each week. This kind of smart automation eliminates back-and-forth communication and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
Customer service is another area where AI shines. Chatbots and intelligent agents like Intercom or Zendesk AI can handle thousands of routine queries simultaneously, 24/7. These bots answer FAQs, check order statuses, reset passwords, and escalate complex cases to humans only when needed. Businesses report up to a 90% resolution rate for simple issues, freeing human agents for more nuanced conversations.
In HR and recruitment, AI tools can screen CVs, schedule interviews, and answer candidate questions automatically. Platforms like HireVue and Workable use AI to match applicants to job descriptions and flag the best fits, eliminating hours of manual sifting and improving hiring consistency.
Finally, compliance monitoring and reporting, often seen as a dull but essential task, is being transformed by AI. For example, in industries like finance or healthcare, AI can scan communications and documents for regulatory violations in real-time, something no human could feasibly do at scale. This not only improves accuracy but prevents costly errors or legal breaches.
In all these examples, the common theme is that AI doesn’t just make things faster, it makes them better. It reduces errors, improves consistency, and helps teams focus on work that requires empathy, critical thinking, or personal judgment.
Ultimately, by automating the “busy work,” AI empowers people to do the “brilliant work.” That’s not just a time saver, it’s an absolute game changer.
Because everything is moving at such a pace I also asked with a little intervention from myself AI to summarise some of the most recent activity…..
The Last 13 Weeks in Artificial Intelligence. What Everyday Leaders Need to Know
It’s been a wild ride for artificial intelligence this spring. Whether you run a business, manage a team, or just want to stay informed, AI is moving faster than most of us can keep up with. In just the last 13 weeks, we’ve seen major changes in the technology itself, huge leaps in adoption, and some big conversations happening in governments around how to regulate it. Here’s the story of AI’s recent sprint, told in plain language for smart leaders who want to stay ahead without getting lost in jargon.
AI Isn’t Slowing Down, It’s Speeding Up
Over the past three months, the big tech players have all stepped on the gas. Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Apple have released new versions of their AI tools that are faster, smarter, and more useful in everyday tasks. We’re talking about assistants that can write reports, summarise meetings, help you code, generate presentations, or even create videos, all in minutes.
Apple, for example, is now adding AI features directly into iPhones and MacBooks. That means if you’re using Apple devices, you’re already starting to see predictive tools and smart edits appearing in your day-to-day apps. Microsoft is doing something similar with its “Copilot” tools inside Word, Excel, and Outlook. It’s like having a virtual team member working in the background.
These tools aren’t just for tech experts anymore they’re starting to show up in schools, sales teams, HR departments, and even in construction and retail planning. If you’re not using them yet, chances are someone in your team is.
Staff Are Quietly Using AI, With or Without Permission
Recent surveys show that almost half of UK employees are using AI tools like ChatGPT at work, and many of them haven’t told their bosses. Why? Because they’re worried they’ll be told to stop, even though the tools help them get more done in less time.
This is a wake-up call for leaders. If people are quietly using AI to gain an edge, you’ve got a choice, ignore it and risk inconsistency or embrace it and set clear boundaries. The smart move is to get ahead, talk to your teams, trial a few tools, and decide together how AI can help without compromising accuracy or trust.
The Rules Around AI Are Still Being Written
Here’s the challenge, the technology is moving fast, but the laws and policies aren’t keeping up.
In the UK, the government recently delayed its AI legislation until at least 2026. That means we’re currently in a grey area, there are no specific national rules yet on how AI tools should be used in businesses or schools, or what’s fair when it comes to data and copyright. Some members of the House of Lords are pushing for more transparency, like making it clear when AI tools are trained on artists’, authors’, or musicians’ work. But nothing has been finalised yet.
In the US, things are even more complicated. Some states want to regulate AI to protect people’s rights, while others want to keep it open. A proposed federal law would actually stop states from making their own rules for ten years, which many see as dangerous. Meanwhile, the EU is miles ahead, having already passed the world’s first wide-ranging AI law, which will kick in over the next two years.
For leaders in the UK, this means we’re in a “watch and prepare” phase. Stay informed, but don’t wait for the law to tell you what’s right. Create your own ethical guidelines, especially if your team is using AI in sensitive areas like recruitment, customer service, or content creation.
Now for some hard facts- AI Is No Longer the Future….It’s Here, and It’s Growing Fast
In the last three months:-
Around 70% of businesses have started using AI in some part of their operations—mostly for writing, research, or customer communication.
Over 60% of employees say AI is saving them time or helping them do their jobs better.
The global market for AI is growing by more than 30% a year, that’s faster than nearly any other industry.
But here’s the important bit….while AI can save time and boost productivity, it doesn’t automatically mean higher profits. The companies seeing real results are the ones training their teams properly, setting clear goals for AI, and making sure human oversight is still part of the process.
What’s Coming Next?
Governments and business leaders are starting to realise that AI is going to change every sector, just like the internet did. In May, world leaders met in Paris to start working on global safety standards for AI. There were agreements on funding, transparency, and even building special “supercomputers” just for training safer AI models. That’s a big sign that this isn’t just a trend, it’s a long-term shift.
Meanwhile, companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are working on “agent” AI’s tools that can complete entire tasks on their own, like booking travel, managing calendars, or researching competitors. Think of them like digital interns or junior team members. They’re still being tested, but they’re coming soon.
And don’t forget the hardware. There’s a huge race to build better computer chips to power AI. Apple, Microsoft, and Google are all designing their own, while countries like the UK and France are investing billions in AI infrastructure. This means more powerful tools, faster response times, and eventually more affordable access for small businesses.
As a Leader, What Should You Be Doing Right Now?
You don’t need to become a tech expert, but you do need a plan. Here’s our Uspire short checklist:-
- Talk to your team: Find out who’s already using AI and how. Get honest input and invite feedback.
- Test the tools yourself: Use ChatGPT, Copilot, or Claude for one task this week. Try drafting a letter, summarising a meeting, or rewriting a policy.
- Set boundaries: Create simple “AI-use” guidelines. For example, no confidential data in public tools. Always check facts before publishing.
- Stay informed: Choose one newsletter or source (like Wired, Axios, or BBC Tech) to scan weekly for updates.
- Think strategically: Where could AI help your business grow customer service, marketing, finance, HR?
You don’t have to change everything today. But doing nothing is the riskiest choice.
Another great example of its use ….. I asked AI to summarise the latest updates on AI from the Wired Technology and Innovation newsletter, below is what it provided.
AI Is Getting Smarter, Faster and More Useful
AI is no longer just a smart assistant; it’s evolving into a proactive problem-solver. WIRED reports that companies like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft are rolling out AI agents that can perform real-world tasks, like scheduling, research, and even coding entire apps. These agents are built to work independently, marking a shift from tools that wait for instructions to tools that take initiative.
Meanwhile, Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot are integrating deeply across browsers, design platforms, and operating systems. These tools now assist with complex tasks like reasoning, summarising documents, and creating digital assets. Microsoft is even embedding AI across Windows and Surface devices to support everyday business users.
New AI tools like HeyGen’s lifelike avatars and Eleven V3’s expressive speech models are pushing boundaries in communication and content. But experts also warn with auto-coded software and AI-generated media, human oversight is more important than ever.
In short, AI is more autonomous, creative, and essential than ever before. Leaders need to embrace it, not just for productivity, but for staying relevant.
Don’t Be SLOW to Catch On, AI Isn’t Waiting!
At Uspire, we believe every leader needs a strategy to future-proof their organisation in the age of AI. But let’s be honest, some teams are dragging their feet. So we created the SLOW Framework to help you stay ahead, ironically, by not being SLOW at all.
S – Strategic Vision
AI is not just another tool; it’s a chance to completely rethink how your business operates.
Ask yourself:-
Where can we be faster, cheaper, smarter with AI?
What if we built this business from scratch today, what would we automate, what would we amplify?
AI is the spark. Strategic vision is the fuel.
L – Leadership Activation
Change starts at the top. Leaders need to inspire confidence, set direction, and model curiosity not fear.
Build a core team to explore and lead AI adoption.
Run small experiments, test, learn, adapt.
Communicate openly, what’s changing, what’s not, and how people will be supported.
Silence breeds anxiety. Leadership breeds momentum.
O – Organisational Design
The structure of yesterday won’t deliver tomorrow’s results.
Where is innovation blocked by old processes?
How are you redesigning jobs, training, and workflows to include AI?
What’s your plan to reskill talent and retain the humans at the heart of your business?
AI can crunch the numbers, but only people create culture. Design wisely.
W – Workforce Enablement
Your people are your AI advantage, if you enable them.
Create AI learning pathways for every role, not just tech teams.
Encourage curiosity and experimentation on the front lines.
Make development personal, relevant, and continuous.
AI won’t take jobs but people who use AI might. Empower your team before someone else does.
So remember, Don’t Be SLOW.
AI isn’t SLOW.
Your competitors aren’t being SLOW.
And your customers? They’re already expecting faster, smarter service.
Final Thoughts
“Artificial intelligence could be the most transformative technology ever. If we do it right, it could solve some of humanity’s biggest problems.”
Demis Hassabis (CEO of Google DeepMind)
In just 13 weeks, artificial intelligence has moved from something we “might explore” to something that’s already changing how we work and live. While the technology is speeding ahead, leaders still hold the power to shape how AI shows up in real life.
Whether it’s helping your team work smarter, protecting data, or making fair decisions about what AI should and shouldn’t do, this is your opportunity to lead……not follow.
AI is no longer science fiction. It’s here. And smart leaders are learning, listening, and leaning in.
If you take one thing from this blog, let it be this, AI is not here to replace you. It’s here to amplify you. But only if you’re willing to learn, adapt, and lead.
In the words of Ray Kurzweil:
In just 13 weeks, artificial intelligence has moved from something we “might explore” to something that’s already changing how we work and live. While the technology is speeding ahead, leaders still hold the power to shape how AI shows up in real life.
Whether it’s helping your team work smarter, protecting data, or making fair decisions about what AI should and shouldn’t do, this is your opportunity to lead……not follow.
AI is no longer science fiction. It’s here. And smart leaders are learning, listening, and leaning in.
If you take one thing from this blog, let it be this, AI is not here to replace you. It’s here to amplify you. But only if you’re willing to learn, adapt, and lead.
In the words of Ray Kurzweil:
In just 13 weeks, artificial intelligence has moved from something we “might explore” to something that’s already changing how we work and live. While the technology is speeding ahead, leaders still hold the power to shape how AI shows up in real life.
Whether it’s helping your team work smarter, protecting data, or making fair decisions about what AI should and shouldn’t do, this is your opportunity to lead……not follow.
AI is no longer science fiction. It’s here. And smart leaders are learning, listening, and leaning in.
If you take one thing from this blog, let it be this, AI is not here to replace you. It’s here to amplify you. But only if you’re willing to learn, adapt, and lead.
In the words of Ray Kurzweil:
“Artificial intelligence will reach human levels by around 2029. Follow that out further to, say, 2045, we will have multiplied the human biological machine intelligence of our civilisation a billion-fold.”
Big things are coming. Let’s get ready, together.